Ventilation shutter with louver having sealing lip

ABSTRACT

A ventilation shutter has a frame providing an opening between the exterior and interior of a building. The shutter has a plurality of louvers pivotally mounted in the frame such that each louver is moveable between an open position and a closed position where the bottom edge of one louver engages the top edge of the next lower louver. The top edge of each louver has a sealing lip extending therefrom configured to engage with the bottom edge of the adjacent louver when the plurality of louvers are in the closed position.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/949,726, filed Dec. 18, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND Field

This invention relates to climate control systems for buildings used to house animals, and more particularly to a ventilation shutter used to control the passage of air between the interior and the outside of the building.

Description of Related Art

Maintaining a proper climate in buildings where living creatures such as poultry, swine or livestock are maintained is highly desirable. A well-controlled environment involves monitoring and regulating the temperature, relative humidity and air quality in the building. For example, properly controlled temperatures enable animals to use feed for growth rather than for body heat. A properly heated animal house results in lower feed costs and increased animal productivity. Additionally, control over the level of humidity in the building is necessary because excess humidity contributes to animal discomfort and promotes the growth of harmful air born bacteria that can cause respiration diseases. Having an elevated humidity level in the animal house may also lead to more frequent changes of bedding and litter which increases production costs. An important component in maintaining a proper environment in such buildings is providing proper ventilation.

There are many designs of air ventilating systems that can be used to control ventilation. These systems typically contain ventilating fans in cooperation with shutters over air openings used to bring in fresh air into and exhaust stale air from the interior of the building. The shutters typically have pivoted louvers moveable between an open position and a closed position. When ambient temperatures are high, movement of air into the interior of the building is essential to maintain proper conditions inside the building. However, when ambient temperatures are low, introduction of cold outside air increases heating costs. Most traditional shutters allow outside air to leak into the building. Leakage of unwanted outside air into the building during cold temperatures increases heating costs, since more fuel is required to maintain the desired temperature. Desirably, the louvers operate automatically in response to the negative or positive pressure created in the building by the ventilation fans. However, with known ventilation shutters of the automatic type, the louvers often do not seal completely, thus allowing outside air to leak into the building.

There is therefore a need for an improved shutter system having multiple louvers which when mounted in the wall of the building will provide an airtight system, resulting in minimal air leakage with minimal heat loss or cold air entering the building.

OVERVIEW

In one embodiment, the invention is directed to a ventilation shutter for use in a building having an exhaust fan that provides air flow from an interior of the building to an exterior of the building. The shutter includes a frame providing an opening between the exterior and the interior of the building. The frame has a top member, a bottom member and side members extending between the top member and the bottom member. The shutter has a plurality of louvers positioned in the frame, each of the plurality of louvers having a top edge, a bottom edge and outer ends. Each louver is pivotally mounted in the frame such that each louver is moveable between an open position and a closed position where the bottom edge of one louver engages the top edge of the next lower louver. The top edge of each louver has a sealing lip extending therefrom configured to engage with the bottom edge of the adjacent louver when the plurality of louvers are in the closed position. The bottom edge of each louver has a sealing tail extending therefrom, wherein sealing lip contacts the adjacent sealing tail so as to provide a seal between adjacent louvers.

These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above mentioned and other features of this invention will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ventilation shutter according to an embodiment of the invention, showing a plurality of louvers in the closed position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded view of a portion of the ventilation shutter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a louver of the ventilation shutter; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of several louvers of the ventilation shutter in the closed position.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The invention will now be described in the following detailed description with reference to the drawings, wherein preferred embodiments are described in detail to enable practice of the invention. Although the invention is described with reference to these specific preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to these preferred embodiments. But to the contrary, the invention includes numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents as will become apparent from consideration of the following detailed description.

Referring to FIG. 1, a ventilation shutter 10 has a rectangular frame 12 configured such that the ventilation shutter 10 of the invention can be installed in an opening in a wall of a building to be ventilated. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the ventilation shutter 10 is combined with one or more exhaust fans (not shown) which, when on, will draw air from the inside of the building and exhaust the air outside of the building. The frame 12 includes a top member 14, a bottom member 16 and two side members 18 that comprise the mounting structure for a plurality of louvers 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the frame 12 has two horizontal internal cross members 22 and two vertical internal cross members 24 to provide rigidity to the frame 12. The use of one or more interior cross members 22, 24 depends upon the size of the ventilation shutter 10 designed for its specific installation.

FIG. 2 shows a portion of one of the side members 18 with the louvers 20 exploded to better illustrate one embodiment of the ventilation shutter 10. Each louver 20 has a top edge 26, a bottom edge 28 and outer ends 30. Each outer end 30 of the louver 20 is pivotally mounted to a side member 18 of the frame 12. Alternately, one or more outer ends 30 of the louver 20 can be pivotally mounted to a vertical internal cross member 24. Desirably, as best seen in FIG. 3, each louver 20 is formed such that it has an aerodynamic shape.

In one embodiment, the inside edge of each side member 18 (and each vertical cross member 22 that also mounts louvers 20) has a base strip 32 configured to interface with the louvers 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the base strip 32 has an inwardly extending pivot pin 40 for each louver 20 received by the base strip 32. The outer ends 30 of each louver 20 have an opening 42 near the upper edge 26 for receiving the pivot pin 40 such that the louver 20 is capable of pivoting movement about an axis formed by the pivot pins 40 on either side of the louver 20 used to mount the louver 20. However, one skilled in the art will understand that the pivot pin 40 may be part of the louver 20 and the openings may be on the base strip 32 without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the louvers 20 are moveable from an open position to a closed position where the bottom edge 28 of a louver 20 engages the top edge 26 of the next lower louver 20.

Desirably, the base strip 32 has a sealing interface 44 formed to match the curved shape of the louver 20. The sealing interface 44 extends inwardly a sufficient distance to engage the surface of the louver 20 along its outer end 30 when the louver 20 in a closed position. The engagement of the outer end 30 of the louver 20 with the sealing interface 44 provides for a seal at the outer ends 30 of the louvers 20 when the louvers 20 are in a closed position, thus minimizing any leakage of outside air into the building when the fans are operating.

Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the top edge 26 of the louver 20 has a pivot crown 50 that forms the opening 42 that receives the pivot pin 40, or alternately mounts the pivot pin that can engage with the side member 18. The pivot crown 50 has an increased cross sectional area that other portions of the louver 20 to accommodate the features necessary to enable to pivot the louver 20 between the open and closed position. According to the invention, the top edge 26 of each louver 20 has a sealing lip 60 extending from the pivot crown 50 configured to engage with a sealing tail 62 extending from the bottom edge 28 of the adjacent louver 20. In the closed position, the sealing lip 60 contacts the adjacent sealing tail 62 so as to provide a seal between adjacent louvers 20. In one embodiment, the sealing lip 60 has a base arm 64 joined with an engagement arm 66 at elbow 68. Desirably, the engagement arm 66 extends from the base arm 64 so that the elbow 68 forms an angle α of less than 90 degrees, and preferably between about 20 and 70 degrees. In the illustrated embodiment, a proximal end of the engagement arm 66 is joined with the base arm 64 and a distal end of the engagement arm 66 extends away from the pivot crown 50 to provide an engagement surface 70. The engagement surface 74 mates with the bottom edge 28 of the adjacent louver 20 when the louvers 20 are in the closed position.

In one embodiment, the sealing tail 62 forms a compound geometric shape such that it has a first leg 74 extending downward as shown in the orientation of FIG. 3 connected with a second leg 76 at knee 78. Desirably, the second leg 76 extends from the first leg 74 so that the knee 78 forms an angle β of greater than 70 degrees, and preferably between about 80 and 120 degrees. Desirably, the second leg 76 is oriented such that it mates with the surface of the adjacent louver 20 when the louvers 20 are in the closed position.

Thus, the louvers 20 will seal tightly with adjacent louvers 20 when in the closed position and discourage cold air or light from leaking into the building. Desirably, the louvers 20 will remain in the closed position and not open until fan power is applied. When fans within the building are turned on, negative pressure will pull the louvers 20 in the open position, allowing air to flow through the ventilation shutter 10. The louvers 20 will remain in the open position as long as the fans are in operation.

The foregoing has broadly outlined some of the more pertinent aspects and features of the present invention. These should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed information in a different manner or by modifying the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, other aspects and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention may be obtained by referring to the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

1. A ventilation shutter 10 for use in a building having an exhaust fan that provides air flow from an interior of the building to an exterior of the building, said shutter comprising: a frame 12 providing an opening between the exterior and the interior of the building, the frame comprising a top member 14, a bottom member 16 and side members 18 extending between the top member and the bottom member; a plurality of louvers 20 positioned in the frame, each of the plurality of louvers having a top edge 26, a bottom edge 28 and outer ends 30, each louver having a curved shape, wherein each of the plurality of louvers is pivotally mounted in the frame such that each louver is moveable between an open position and a closed position where the bottom edge of one louver engages the top edge of the next lower louver, wherein the top edge has a sealing lip 60 extending therefrom configured to engage with the bottom edge of the adjacent louver when the plurality of louvers are in the closed position.
 2. The ventilation shutter of claim 1 wherein the top edge 26 of each of the plurality of louvers 20 has a pivot crown that has cross sectional area that is greater than other portions of the louver and the sealing lip 60 extends from the pivot crown.
 3. The ventilation shutter of claim 1 wherein sealing lip 60 has a base arm 64 joined with an engagement arm 66 at elbow 68, and wherein the engagement arm extends from the base arm so that the elbow forms an angle α of less than 90 degrees.
 4. The ventilation shutter of claim 3 wherein a proximal end 70 of the engagement arm is joined with the base arm and a distal end 72 of the engagement arm extends away from the upper edge to provide an engagement surface 74 that mates with the bottom edge of the adjacent louver when the louvers are in the closed position.
 5. The ventilation shutter of claim 1 wherein the bottom edge of each of the plurality of louver has a sealing tail 62 extending therefrom.
 6. The ventilation shutter of claim 5 wherein sealing lip 60 contacts the adjacent sealing tail 62 so as to provide a seal between adjacent louvers.
 7. The ventilation shutter of claim 6 wherein the sealing tail 62 forms a compound geometric shape such that it has a first leg 74 connected with a second leg 76 at a knee 78 and wherein the second leg extends from the first leg so that the knee forms an angle β of greater than 70 degrees.
 8. The ventilation shutter of claim 7 wherein the second leg is oriented such that it mates with the surface of the adjacent louver when the louvers are in the closed position. 